[Nicky91]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

Also the 'dont have long to live' argument is both stupid and insensistive tbh. And some of these people might end up living another 40 years!

true, some in Asia for example can live to the age of 114

[Nicky91]

and honestly over 75's might have worked for a very long time, so they have rights of their pension money

and youth if they don't want to pay for it


then free tv might be the only good option after all


maybe BBC can come up with solution, of putting adverts between their shows, making their money like that

[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by Cherie

and please dont tell me you are bringing Brexit into this Nicky, as many young people voted Brexit as well

Well, obviously Brexit has nowt to do with this thread, but statistically the older people got, the more likely they were to vote to leave. So I kind of get where Nickys coming from there, except its.. pointless to bring up here at all

[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by Nicky91

maybe BBC can come up with solution, of putting adverts between their shows, making their money like that

The obvious ****ing solution. Would ease pressure on the courts too given..I bet a lot of their time is wasted on this. When I was last in court, was talking to people hanging around waiting for their cases, and at least half of them were there for TV license

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

The obvious ****ing solution. Would ease pressure on the courts too given..I bet a lot of their time is wasted on this. When I was last in court, was talking to people hanging around waiting for their cases, and at least half of them were there for TV license

incredible that the courts are taking up time with this rubbish

[Nicky91]

also for elderly it isn't nice for them to go to court, when they more want to have some calm days of no worries in their retirement

and btw BBC should pay more respect to the elderly, since most of their viewers for strictly come dancing for example are older people or various other shows/series on their channels

[Josy]

Horrible.

I visit a lady in a sheltered housing complex every Monday afternoon, she is 94 years old and doesnt get out much at all so yeah she watches TV a lot or I should really say mostly listens as her eyes aren't too great but it's a sort of comfort thing when she is alone, she only has 1 son who gets very busy at work and is away a lot of the time so really apart from her son, myself and a carer for 15 mins on a week morning the TV is the only company she really has.

I know not all elderly people will be so dependent but it is the only company some of them have and if they cant afford this licence fee then they wont have anything, you know what most elderly people are like they wont not pay it like some youngerpeople choose, that's not the way they are.

[Josy]

But yeah get it abolished completely it's a lot of ****e!

[Wizard.]

I think it is disgusting the way people are threatened over not paying their TV license like it's the worst crime in the world yet politicians can take Class A drugs and nothing is done.

[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by Josy

if they cant afford this licence fee

But its for people who do not recieve pension credit? If their pension was low enough, they woldn't have to pay still. I am sure pension credit is like 150 per week or something..so it appears to be only for those who would be able to afford it.

[Josy]

Pension credit is the top up for people only on a state pension I think? Like 40 quid or something is it not?

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

But its for people who do not recieve pension credit? If their pension was low enough, they woldn't have to pay still. I am sure pension credit is like 150 per week or something..so it appears to be only for those who would be able to afford it.

what if you just miss out though, and who is to say they won't adjust the amount of pension credit in the future so more people are dragged into the net?

[Oliver_W]

tbh at 75 onward, people shouldn't have to pay ANY taxes.

[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by Josy

Pension credit is the top up for people only on a state pension I think? Like 40 quid or something is it not?

Ah, I thought pension credit was basically what you got instead of a state pension if your private pension was not above state pension levels.

Originally Posted by Cherie

what if you just miss out though, and who is to say they won't adjust the amount of pension credit in the future so more people are dragged into the net?

Well I guess that could be an issue.

Either way..should not be there for anywone, nevermind just letting pensioners off with it.

[joeysteele]

Originally Posted by Oliver_W

tbh at 75 onward, people shouldn't have to pay ANY taxes.

I agree 100%

[Kazanne]

Originally Posted by Nicky91

free tv means no money for BBC, meaning more shows need to be axed since they can't pay for them anymore

meaning lesser good shows to watch for the older people

Maybe they should stop paying their presenters and themselves shed loads of money

[bitontheslide]

For me, what the BBC have tried to do here is the final straw. I will support every attempt for the license fee to be scrapped. It's no longer the only channel, it's no longer unbiased, its no longer a public service broadcaster. The time of compulsory charges have long gone.

[arista]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

Well, obviously Brexit has nowt to do with this thread, but statistically the older people got, the more likely they were to vote to leave. So I kind of get where Nickys coming from there, except its.. pointless to bring up here at all

Yes George Osborne brought this BBC changes in 2015
before any Brexit.

Many Media Experts
have said it was brought out now
for Conservative Leadership race.
I doubt Boris would help out.

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by joeysteele

Hi Marsh.
I agree with your 2nd paragraph.

Then again, I think the infernal thing should be scrapped for all.
I've no sympathy with the BBC, I think all its coverage and programming has gone down anyway.

Sports, watching that does my head in the way they switch channels etc during say Wimbledon.

Cut out so many presenters on shows too.
Are 2 really needed for things like Strictly.

Just going for advertising like everyone else.
There'll be companies clamouring to get spots in things like EastEnders for example.

To your first point which is valid.
The thing is, the over 75s were given free licences.
They were assured by this government in 2017, pensioner issues would be protected at least to the next election.

Now it's not.
So in that, it is unfair and I say wrong to remove this now and within the next year too.

I agree there are pensioners who could easily afford to pay it.
The governnents of both Parties agreed to make it free for all over 75.
For then just the older pensioners, not all pensioners.

I accept someone unemployed could have less than pensioners and still have to pay this atrocious just under £155, of this dinosaur tax.

It's infuriating that someone who has one TV and on around £150 a week.
Have to pay that £154.50 a year just to watch that TV.

While millionaires can have multiple TVs in near mansions and still only have to pay that £154.50.

For me, it's time this was scrapped once and for all and the BBC forced to work in the 21st century.
Like everything and everyone else..

This will lead to pensioners likely being dragged to court.
The elderly if alone can get into difficulties.
Sadly things like memory problems, dementia hit rich and poor pensioners alike.

There'll be no sympathy for them from the truly rotten and vile TV Licensing company.
It will be a disgrace when it happens and pensioners get summoned to court.

This is a terrible broken promise from the government, that this would be in place until 2022 at least.

As to the Pensioners saying they'd be happy to pay it.
Well nothing has stopped them doing so, so why haven't they done so already voluntarily.
Equally pension credit.
The government knows more pensioners should be claiming that, many haven't claimed it.
It's around 3 in 10 who should have it.

So ending the universal free over 75s TV licences, is going to cause hardship and likely worse for some even poorer pensioners.

Is this really what a caring society does to its much older citizens.

Just scrap the thing, penalise the BBC, not pensioners.

Oh I agree it's wrong to just take something away like that.

Like, even if they just stopped over 75 free licenses from this point on, but anybody already receiving continues until... well, they're gone.

As for things like "2 presenters for Strictly" I don't actually think that makes a blind bit of difference. Shows are allocated budgets, then pay of talent comes from that budget, so you sack Claudia, Tess might get a pay rise and they have a bit of money left over to then spend elsewhere on Strictly. That will be even more true for the external production companies that make content for the BBC.

I think the fault entirely lies with the government, it's not just the BBC/TV Licensing but ever corner of our society being polluted by the scum sitting in Parliament.

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

Also the 'dont have long to live' argument is both stupid and insensistive tbh. And some of these people might end up living another 40 years!

Not all these BBC fans being 115.

[Firewire]

~controversial~ but the Over 75s who are "losing out" can afford to pay for their TV licence.

No one else gets any help to pay for it, so why should these rich oldies be any different?

TV is not a right of passage.

[Firewire]

Also, it works out at about £3.50 a week and for the array of content you get it's an absolute bargain.

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Firewire

Also, it works out at about £3.50 a week and for the array of content you get it's an absolute bargain.

tell that to all the non payers

[Marsh.]

Yeah, it does clarify those that would struggle to pay it will not have to pay it. It's just remaining ageist in the fact that only struggling over-75s get the help and no one else.

But, honestly, I don't understand all the fretting about it anymore.

Because, times have changed and it's quite easy to not pay the licence and get on with just watching your streaming services, boxes etc that you legally do not require a licence for.

Is watching something with 3 or 4 ad breaks that enticing that you couldn't just watch it on catch up at a more convenient time?

Except BBC iPlayer of course, but you don't watch BBC so you won't miss it.

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by Cherie

tell that to all the non payers

They get it for free then! BIGGER bargain! Don't need it! Don't want it!


Except those times when they slip up and post on Facebook that they simply can't wait for Strictly and a glass of wine.